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< Back January 14, 2021 HOUSE GIVES INITIAL APPROVAL TO TIME-SENSITIVE BILLS DENVER, CO — The House today gave initial approval to legislation that would modify the COVID-19 relief program for small businesses, extend limitations on debt collection actions, and recreate the Occupational Therapy Practice Act. Final passage of the legislation in the House is expected tomorrow morning. SB21-001: Modify COVID-19 Relief Programs For Small Business. This bill, sponsored by Representatives Leslie Herod, D-Denver, and Shane Sandridge, R-El Paso County, makes minor tweaks to the COVID-19 small and minority business relief program that was established in last year’s special session. The legislation will help small businesses that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, especially minority owned businesses, receive timely relief through the program. SB21-002: Extending Limitations on Debt Collection Actions. This bill, sponsored by Representative Herod, would extend the debt collection protections enacted last session through June 1of this year. Without action, these critical protections for consumers who are facing tremendous hardship due to COVID-19 will expire in two weeks with our nation still in the midst of a public health and economic crisis. SB21-003: Recreate Occupational Therapy Practice Act. This bill, sponsored by Representatives David Ortiz, D-Littleton, and Colin Larson, R-Ken Caryl recreates the Occupational Therapy Practice Act to allow continuity in occupational therapy regulations to ensure that these professionals have the tools and guidance they need to be successful and serve the community. Previous Next

< Back November 8, 2022 Democrats Secure House Majority DENVER, CO – House Democrats win at least 33 seats and will be in the majority for the upcoming 74th General Assembly. “I’m humbled that voters continue to put their trust in Democrats to lead the Colorado House,” said House Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver. “Across the state, Democratic lawmakers and candidates prevailed on the strength of their records. Voters rewarded the majority for listening to Coloradans and doing what we said we’d do. I’m excited that we are reducing the cost of housing, making health care and prescription drugs more affordable, and saving families money by delivering universal preschool for every four-year-old in our state. Democratic lawmakers moved Colorado forward, saved people money, and protected a woman's right to choose.” “From Fort Collins to Pueblo, voters reelected Democrats to the House because we listened to the needs of our communities and delivered,” said House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “Our candidates connected with voters on key issues like reducing property taxes, increasing funding for education, and improving public safety. When the Supreme Court was poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, we acted swiftly to secure our reproductive rights in Colorado with the Reproductive Health Equity Act. It was an honor to sponsor that law and a privilege to serve the people of our state. I know our caucus will continue to turn our values into action and move Colorado forward.” During the 73rd General Assembly, House Democrats responded to the most pressing needs in Colorado and delivered results that will move our state forward. Last session focused on saving Coloradans money, improving public safety, and preparing our students for success. Democrats made record investments to reduce emissions, improve our air quality, shore up our water supply, and mitigate against the increasing risk of wildfire across the state. House Democrats also safeguarded foundational rights of Coloradans - from codifying the right to an abortion in state law to ensuring our elections remain safe and secure. With Coloradans still recovering from the disruption of the pandemic, including rising inflation and economic instability, Democrats took action to save Coloradans money. The Majority made record investments in K-12 education to put more resources into classrooms, passed critical legislation to combat the fentanyl crisis and save lives, and sent bills to the governor that will prevent crime and improve public safety. During the 2021 session, Democrats passed historic legislation to improve Colorado’s transportation system, create the Colorado Option and Prescription Drug Affordability Board to make health care more affordable, and address climate change. Democrats passed six new laws to reduce gun violence, lowered taxes on small businesses and hardworking Coloradans and passed an economic stimulus plan that powered the Colorado Comeback. Major Accomplishments from the 73rd General Assembly Reducing the Cost of Health Care and Prescription Drugs: Democrats passed landmark laws to create the Colorado Option and Prescription Drug Affordability Board while continuing to drive down the cost of insulin and ensure Coloradans receive the care they need. Last session, Democrats directed over $430 million to expand access to mental health care and substance use disorder treatment and save people money on life-saving behavioral health care. Protecting Reproductive Rights: In response to an imminent threat to Roe v. Wade pending at the Supreme Court, Democrats in the legislature passed the Reproductive Health Equity Act , which establishes the right to abortion as a fundamental right in Colorado and protects the full spectrum of reproductive health care options, including every pregnant person’s right to choose whether or not to continue a pregnancy. Investing in Public Education: From free universal preschool to significantly boosting funding for public schools, House Democrats passed critical legislation to prepare Colorado’s students to thrive . This year, Colorado schools will see over $500 more per pupil on average and substantially more funding for special education and at-risk students. Democrats created the highly successful I Matter program , which provides free counseling to any Colorado student. Lowering Taxes on Small Businesses and Hardworking Families: House Democrats boosted tax benefits for hardworking Coloradans and parents, lowered property taxes on families and small businesses, eliminated the business personal property tax for small businesses, cut taxes on restaurants and small retailers and increased tax refunds for lower-income Coloradans through the Colorado Cashback Plan that sent tax filers checks of $750 for individual or $1,500 for joint filers this past August. Preventing Gun Violence and Improving Public Safety: Lawmakers passed bipartisan legislation to address Colorado’s fentanyl crisis that increased penalties on drug dealers and expanded access to treatment options. House Democrats also passed bipartisan legislation to increase funding for crime prevention , improve school safety and youth mental health, and prevent recidivism . In 2021, Democrats passed six new laws to prevent gun violence by strengthening background checks , creating the Office of Gun Violence Prevention , improving the safe storage of firearms, and mandating reporting of lost or stolen firearms. Addressing Climate Change and Protecting Our Air and Water: Democrats passed critical legislation to improve air quality and mandate clear climate goals in statute. Lawmakers also cracked down on toxic pollutants in our air and water. Fare Free August improved ridership on public transit and saved Coloradans money while improving our air quality. House Democrats sponsored legislation to direct historic levels of resources to wildfire mitigation, response, and recovery efforts , including new state of the art firefighting technologies like the soon-to-be delivered Firehawk helicopter. Previous Next

< Back May 20, 2019 GOV SIGNS BILLS TO HELP WITH MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR COLORADANS WHO NEED IT THE MOST Colorado is ranked near the bottom for behavioral health care (May 20) – Gov. Polis signed two bills today at the Colorado Mental Wellness Network to address the current mental health crisis facing Colorado. SB19-222, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Rep. Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo, expands community based services, providing a safety net of comprehensive mental health care that could cover the entire state. “SB 222 is about implementing a vision for a system that can serve everyone, so Colorado’s jails don’t have to. When people with serious behavioral health disorders cannot access the treatment they need, other parts of our system are negatively impacted as we’ve directly seen in Pueblo,” said Rep. Esgar. “These new laws are about helping the people in our communities who are the hardest to serve.” Rep. Esgar’s bill requires access to civil beds at the Colorado Mental Health Institutes at Fort Logan and Pueblo. It also requires a robust collaboration with all local enforcement jurisdictions and counties in the service area. SB19-223, sponsored by Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, was also signed today, and improves the process and provision of services for individuals who have been ordered for competency evaluation and restoration in the criminal justice system. “This bill will ensure that our criminal justice system adheres to constitutional requirements when questions of competency are raised,” said Rep. Weissman. “We can, we must, and with SB19-223, we will address competency evaluations and restorations more quickly and efficiently. Together with SB19-222, this bill will help keep individuals with behavioral health issues from becoming entangled in our justice system.” Rep. Weissman’s bill is the primary legislative mechanism to codify the reforms set forth by the taskforce. It includes a series of reforms to help the Colorado Department of Health Services come into compliance with a mandated timeframe for providing competency services. It also requires the Department of Human Services to implement policies to prioritize in-patient treatment for those with the greatest need while providing community-based services for other patients. Both bills were co-sponsored by Rep. Lois Landgraf, R-Fountain. Previous Next

Two bills to support Colorado workers today passed the House. < Back March 13, 2023 Workforce Bills Pass House DENVER, CO – Two bills to support Colorado workers today passed the House. HB23-1094, sponsored by Representatives Meghan Lukens and Marc Catlin, would boost the agriculture workforce, and HB23-1074, sponsored by Representatives Ruby Dickson and Judy Amabile, would identify strategies to better prepare Colorado workers for industry changes resulting from technology advances and automation. “This bill works to train, educate and uplift the next generation of agricultural workers through hands-on internships and training,” said Rep. Meghan Lukens, D-Steamboat Springs, sponsor of HB23-1094. “This bipartisan legislation creates a pipeline for careers in the agricultural businesses while helping our farmers and ranchers fill open positions. Colorado’s agriculture industry creates $47 billion dollars in economic activity every year and our legislation supports our farmers and ranchers by creating new pathways for Coloradans interested in a career in agriculture.” HB23-1094 , which passed the House by a vote of 56 to 4, would modify the Agricultural Workforce Development Program which provides financial incentives to farmers, ranchers and agricultural businesses to hire interns and provide them with hands-on training and the experience needed to pursue a career in agriculture. This bill aims to jumpstart a lifelong career in agriculture and deepen the workforce pool by increasing the duration of paid internships to up to one year instead of six months. “As our economy changes, we must do everything we can to ensure workers aren’t left behind,” said Rep. Ruby Dickson, D-Centennial, sponsor of HB23-1074 . “We can’t control how innovation and automation will affect the labor market, but we can anticipate these changes – and find new strategies to support impacted workers. This bill will identify opportunities for workers to use the skills they already have while transitioning to a more forward-looking economy so that Coloradans can continue to work and thrive in their own communities.” “This bill will help create and preserve jobs for workers in Colorado’s oil and gas industry and other skilled industries as we prepare for the impacts of new technologies,” said Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, sponsor of HB23-1074. “Our bill creates a workforce study, through the Office of Future Work, to identify strategies to help workers enter new, up-and-coming career paths as technology-dependent industries adapt and grow with automation and other efficiencies coming online in the future.” HB23-1074 , which passed the House by a vote of 41 to 18, would create a workforce study to help better prepare Coloradans for high-demand careers. Through this workforce study, The Office of Future Work (OFW) would partner with research institutions, employers and other stakeholders to explore industry transitions in oil and gas and in industries experiencing disruption due to automation. This bill works to ease workforce transitions, identify appropriate interventions and define strategies to help Coloradans prepare and train for careers of the future. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed bipartisan legislation to save Coloradans money on health care. < Back March 20, 2025 SIGNED! Legislation to Save Coloradans Money on Mental Health Care DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed bipartisan legislation to save Coloradans money on health care. The new law will reduce health care costs for families by standardizing insurance coverage determinations to ensure that mental health care is based on clinical evidence, not profit margins. “Health care coverage decisions should be made using the best evidence based recommendations of health care professionals, not on profit margins,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “Right now, too many Coloradans struggle to receive the care they need while insurance companies continue to deny coverage for behavioral health care. This new law helps standardize insurance coverage decisions so Coloradans can actually access the behavioral health services they pay for.” “Access to mental health care and substance abuse treatment is crucial to the health and well-being of Colorado families,” said Sen. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder. “Far too often, insurance companies deny medically necessary mental health claims with little to no justification, and Coloradans who are already struggling end up with huge costs or no care at all. This legislation will help Coloradans get the care they need at a price they can afford.” “Health insurance companies should cover services for mental health care at the same level they do for all other care, but far too often they deny claims when the care is necessary,” said Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist, D-Denver. “When insurance doesn’t cover claims, that drives up costs for families, and it makes it harder for Coloradans, especially young people, to receive critical care, as too many still don’t receive care at all. Colorado has made major strides in recent years to invest in behavioral health care, and this law carries on this work by ensuring providers can’t deny insurance coverage for medically necessary health care. We’re saving Coloradans money on health care and improving access to the care people need.” HB25-1002 , also sponsored by Senator Bryon Pelton, R-Sterling, will ensure that insurance companies use transparent, evidence-based criteria and programming when deciding whether mental health care should be covered under an insurance plan. This law also codifies the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act into state law, requiring insurance companies to provide the same level of coverage for mental health services as they do for physical health services. The goal of HB24-1002 is to ensure that insurance providers are covering mental health care and to limit gaps in insurance coverage for Coloradans. The law also clarifies state law around mental health parity and requires the use of clinical standards from select national organizations to ensure parity. Previous Next

< Back April 8, 2022 HOUSE ADVANCES BILL TO SAVE BUSINESSES MONEY ON PAID FAMILY LEAVE Legislation will save businesses over $57 million on insurance premium costs DENVER, CO – The House passed legislation today on a preliminary vote that would save families and employers money on paid family leave. HB22-1305, sponsored by Representatives Yadira Caraveo and Matt Gray, will save businesses money by reducing premiums for the new voter approved family and medical leave program. “This bill saves businesses money on paid family and medical leave premiums,” said Rep. Yadira Caraveo, D-Thornton . “In 2020, Coloradans gave the green light to paid family and medical leave for workers in our state and this bill delivers. As Colorado businesses and companies bounce back from pandemic-sparked inflation and supply chain backups, they’ll be met with lower premium costs to save them money.” “We’re one step closer to 12-weeks of paid family and medical leave in Colorado,” said Rep. Matt Gray, D-Broomfield . “This bill will save our businesses millions on family and medical leave insurance premiums while giving workers the flexibility to take paid time off for hospital visits and family leave. Colorado businesses are the cornerstone of our state’s economic recovery and this bill will save them money and help support their workers.” HB22-1305 , sponsored by Representatives Yadira Caraveo and Matt Gray, will save businesses over $57 million by reducing initial premiums for the new paid family and medical leave program. In 2020, Colorado voters overwhelmingly decided that employees should have access to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave. If passed, the bill would reduce initial insurance premiums paid by employers for the state’s paid family and medical leave program beginning in January 2023. Previous Next

If a health care insurer goes out of business, this bill would require a consumer’s new health care insurer to honor all previously paid out-of-pocket maximums and deductibles < Back February 14, 2024 Bill Will Protect Coloradans from Health Care Insurer Insolvency DENVER, CO – The House Health and Human Services Committee today passed legislation to ensure that Coloradans who reached their health care deductible and out-of-pocket maximums are credited by their new insurer if their old insurer goes out of business. HB24-1258 comes as a direct response to the recent Friday Health insurer shutdown and aims to protect and save Coloradans money by not requiring them to pay their health insurance deductibles twice. “When Friday Health closed their doors in Colorado, it left many patients uninsured, frustrated and concerned about the money they already spent reaching their health care deductible,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “This legislation protects Coloradans if their health care insurer files for bankruptcy by allowing them to credit any out-of-pocket maximums and deductibles toward their new insurer. No one should have to pay their deductible twice, and this legislation saves Coloradans money and honors what they’ve already paid toward their medical expenses.” “In the rare instances when someone loses health insurance because their insurer goes bankrupt, there must be protections in place to ensure they don’t have to pay their deductible twice,” said Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins. “It’s important to remove unnecessary barriers to receiving health care coverage, and this legislation makes sure insurance companies honor previously paid out-of-pocket maximums and deductibles. This bill will save Coloradans money on health care, protect them from insurer insolvency and make it easier for them to receive the care they need, when they need it.” HB24-1258 is a direct response to the Friday Health insurer Colorado shutdown over the summer which left more than 30,000 Coloradans uninsured and without the benefit of deductibles they had already paid. HB24-1258 passed by a vote of 9-4. This legislation would save Coloradans money on health insurance by not requiring them to pay their deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums twice if their insurer files for bankruptcy. Specifically, Coloradans would be able credit all out-of-pocket expenses and deductibles paid to a previous, out of business insurer to their new health insurer with a new benefit plan. This bill also defines ‘out-of-pocket expenses’ as any expenses paid by a covered person for medical services and prescription drugs including coinsurance amounts. The goal of HB24-1258 is to protect Coloradans from health care insurer insolvency and to ensure that patients can receive the critical and expected health care coverage they need. On August 10, 2023, Colorado Democrats led by Representatives Boesenecker and Daugherty, sent a letter to Colorado’s health insurance carriers urging them to honor former Friday Health Plan enrollees’ payments toward their deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. Previous Next

The House today advanced gun violence prevention legislation sponsored by Majority Leader Monica Duran and Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist in a preliminary vote. < Back February 21, 2025 House Advances Bill to Create Safeguards on Ammunition Purchases DENVER, CO - The House today advanced gun violence prevention legislation sponsored by Majority Leader Monica Duran and Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist in a preliminary vote. HB25-1133 would raise the minimum age to purchase ammunition for rifle and shotgun ammunition to 21 years old and require ammunition to be stored behind the counter like nicotine, cold medicine, and other commonly misused or harmful products. “Colorado Democrats have worked tirelessly to pass commonsense gun violence legislation to save lives, and we’re building on our work by filling gaps in our laws that allow ammunition to get into the wrong hands,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “While cold medicine is locked up behind a glass case, firearm ammunition is openly available in aisles for anyone to grab. By requiring ammunition to be securely stored and raising the age to purchase, this bill works to prevent senseless gun violence and theft to keep our communities safe.” “Current firearm laws make it far too easy for people to evade safety measures before purchasing ammunition, especially with online purchases,” said Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist, D-Denver. “That’s why we’re bringing this gun violence prevention bill that would increase the minimum age to purchase ammunition to 21 and implement safety measures, like age verification and secure display requirements. I’m proud to sponsor this bill to prevent senseless gun violence in Colorado and save countless lives.” Under current law, individuals must be 21 years old to purchase any firearm but only 18 years old to purchase ammunition. HB25-1133 would raise the minimum age to purchase rifle or shotgun ammunition to 21 years old with limited exceptions. Sellers would be required to verify that the buyer is at least 21 years old using a valid government-issued photo identification. The bill also requires sellers to display ammunition in a position where an employee must assist the buyer, like in an enclosed display case or behind a counter, to help prevent theft. Any person delivering ammunition would be required to verify that the person receiving the delivery is at least 21 years old and obtain written proof of receipt of the delivery from the recipient. The bill exempts an active member or veteran of the US military or Colorado National Guard as well as Coloradans with a valid hunter education certificate or an expired or unexpired hunting license. Coloradans between 18 and 21 years old would be allowed to purchase ammunition at a shooting range if they use it on-site. It would also exempt Coloradans under 21 years old if they were born on or before January 28, 2007. Unlawful sale of ammunition would be a civil infraction, while subsequent violations would classify as a class 1 misdemeanor. The bill would take effect July 1, 2026. According to Everytown for Gun Safety , firearms are the leading cause of death for young people in the U.S. ages 18 to 20, and the firearm suicide rate among this group has increased by a staggering 41 percent in the last decade. Majority Leader Duran passed a law in 2023 to raise the minimum age to purchase a long gun firearm to 21, which was already the minimum age to purchase a handgun. She also passed a safe storage law that promotes responsible gun ownership by requiring gun owners to properly store their firearms when they are not in use, especially when children are present. Previous Next

Governor Jared Polis today signed two bills sponsored by Representative Barbara McLachlan into law. < Back May 23, 2024 McLachlan Bills to Extend Federal Indian Boarding School Research Program, Boost K-12 Science Performance Become Law DENVER / ENGLEWOOD, CO – Governor Jared Polis today signed two bills sponsored by Representative Barbara McLachlan into law. HB24-1444 will implement History Colorado recommendations to support healing generational trauma in tribal communities, capture oral histories and dive deeper into long standing inequities faced by tribal communities. “History Colorado’s research about the federal Indian boarding schools revealed the atrocities of the past; it left us with a choice on how to right these wrongs and better support our tribal communities today,” said Rep. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango. “This law extends this important research for another three years, acknowledging the abuse and forced assimilation and addressing some of the longstanding social, economic, and educational inequities still faced by our tribal communities.” “We cannot erase the horrors of the past, but we must face them,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver . “This new law directs the state of Colorado to continue to expose the truth about the American Indian boarding schools.” HB24-1444 in consultation with tribes, extends the federal Indian boarding school research program within History Colorado until 2027. Enacted in 2022 through HB22-1327 , this research program was tasked with researching the victimization that occurred at American Indian boarding schools in Colorado. History Colorado released the findings from their report and recommendations in October of 2023, which revealed that nine institutions in the state attempted to assimilate American Indian students. HB24-1444 invests $1 million to continue the program and ensure consultation with different tribes, the steering committee, and the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs in putting forward recommendations to work toward social, educational and economic equity for tribal communities by November 8, 2025. HB24-1446 is a bipartisan law that will make no-cost professional development programs available to science educators, with an emphasis on in-person and virtual programming that supports students who are below grade level, students living with disabilities, gifted students, and students who are English Language Learners. “I’m also proud that my bipartisan bill to make professional development programs available to science educators at no cost became law today,” continued McLachlan. “The key to success in the classroom is a great educator, and this law makes it easier for our science teachers to continue honing their skills and meet the diverse needs of our students.” HB24-1446 aims to improve K-12 science performance for Colorado students by giving teachers the tools and resources they need to foster success among the students who need the most support. With this law, teachers who participate in this professional development may earn credit towards license renewal. Rural school districts must be prioritized if demand for the training exceeds capacity. The program will be made available beginning in the 2025-26 school year. Previous Next

< Back April 16, 2020 REP. MCCLUSKIE NAMED APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIR DENVER, CO — Speaker KC Becker, D-Boulder, today announced that she has appointed Representative Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon, as Chair of the House Committee on Appropriations. Traditionally the second-ranking member of the Joint Budget Committee in each chamber serves as Appropriations Chair. “I am honored to have the confidence of Speaker Becker and JBC Chair Esgar, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Joint Budget Committee and the House Appropriations Committee as we craft this year’s budget and look closely at how we can help our state, businesses and Coloradans recover from this pandemic,” said Rep. McCluskie, D-Dillon. “When we come back into session, we’re going to have to make a lot of difficult decisions about how we spend our state’s precious resources,” said Speaker KC Becker, D-Boulder. “Rep. McCluskie has earned the trust of her colleagues on both sides of the aisle with her deep understanding of state’s budget and fiscal issues, and I know she will do an excellent job leading the House Appropriations Committee as it works on legislation that impacts the state’s budget.” The House Committee on Appropriations considers bills that impact state spending and revenues and authorizes appropriations (state spending) on legislation. Rep. Esgar, D-Pueblo, will take on the role of Vice-Chair, as is customary for the ranking member of the Joint Budget Committee. Previous Next

< Back June 1, 2021 HOUSE MOVES TO ALLOW LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO IMPLEMENT COMMUNITY-DRIVEN GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION SOLUTIONS Reps. Hooton and Daugherty’s bill would adjust the state preemption on gun violence prevention laws, empowering local governments to implement their own solutions DENVER, CO — The House today advanced a bill to declare that the regulation of the sale and transfer of firearms is a matter of both state and local concern, repealing the state-level preemption that currently prevents localities from enacting stricter gun violence laws than those of the state. The bill passed on Second Reading. “We’ve been working to end mass shootings and stem the tide of gun violence in Colorado for years now, and the tragic shooting that reeled my Boulder community this year only made the need to act that much more pressing,” said Rep. Edie Hooton, D-Boulder. “The critical bill we advanced today will give local governments the ability to raise gun safety standards in their communities to meet the needs of their residents.” “Colorado’s vast regional diversity means that the gun violence prevention solutions that come up in Custer County are probably going to look a lot different to those in Denver,” said Rep. Lindsey Daughtery, D-Arvada. “This bill respects the rights of gun owners and follows in our longstanding tradition of local control to allow localities to implement the solutions that make sense for their individual communities.” Current law prohibits a local government from enacting laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit the purchase, transfer, or possession of a firearm. SB21-256 adjusts this prohibition by declaring the regulation of firearms a matter of state and local concern, allowing local governments to set higher standards. Under this bill, local governments would have the authority to enact regulations governing the transfer or possession of firearms, ammunition, or firearm components and accessories, so long as the regulations are more restrictive than state laws on the subject. The bill stipulates that criminal penalties for a violation of local regulations cannot be brought for a person who did not know or could not be reasonably expected to know that they were in violation of the local regulations. And that only civil penalties can be brought for a person violating a local concealed carry regulations with a maximum first offense penalty of $50. Recently, in the weeks leading up to the tragic shooting in Boulder, a court struck down Boulder’s local assault weapons ban. If it had been law at the time, SB21-256 would have allowed Boulder to keep this ban in place. The bill does not change existing law that allows Coloradans to travel freely throughout the state with a firearm in their vehicle. Previous Next

< Back June 3, 2020 PASSED! DEMOCRATS STRENGTHEN PROTECTIONS FOR ENERGY CONSUMERS DENVER, CO — The House today passed Representative Daneya Esgar’s bill to increase and improve protections for energy consumers by a vote of 55-12. The bill includes specific protections for low-income Coloradans and those who have an increased electricity use due to a medical condition. “Far too many Coloradans are feeling the economic strain of this pandemic and even struggling to keep the lights on,” said Rep. Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “This bill will go a long way towards guaranteeing protections for low-income Coloradans who may face having their power disconnected. It will also provide more support to those who use a considerable amount of power due to a health condition. This bill is the result of years of work and advocacy in Southern Colorado, and I’m proud to see it swiftly pass the House.” SB20-030 imposes various requirements on public utilities and the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) related to information reporting, billing, and customer interactions. Specifically, the bill would require utilities under the PUC’s authority to report data related to customers who receive the medical exemption from tiered electricity rates, including information related to efforts the utilities have undertaken to enroll qualified individuals into the medical exemption program. SB20-030 also nearly doubles the level of income that the PUC may use to means test the medical exemption, allowing more Coloradans with medical needs to take advantage of the program. Among several other protections, SB20-030 includes a provision that directs the PUC to standardize practices for electric and gas utilities to use when disconnecting service due to nonpayment. This process must include providing the consumer with information regarding energy-assistance programs, prohibiting disconnection during extreme weather periods, allowing customers the opportunity to have their service reconnected on the same day, among other protections. Finally, SB20-030 puts in place guardrails to ensure that the PUC does not approve rate change mechanisms that disproportionately impact low-income residential communities, deeming these changes to be contrary to the public interest. Previous Next